FLING may rightly be considerd not only the granddaddy of all other boob mags but also the best of all time in it's particular niche. It also sports one of the most irregular and bizarre publication schedules of any known magazine. There are actually 2 distinct runs that overlap each other. The first issue (which was digest-size) appeared in 1957, as did 3 more digest-sized issues that year. The next 2 years - 1958 & 1959 - each saw 6 more issues per year (all digest-size) and then a final digest-size issue (#17) appeared early in 1960.

At the same time the digest-sized issues were being published a regular, full-size magazine titled 'Fling Festival' debuted in 1959. It was followed by a second issue dated Winter, 1959 and then 3 additional issues (dated Spring, Fall & Winter) in each of the years 1960 & 1961. That brings the total to 8 full size issues with the 'Fling Festival' moniker dated from 1959-1961. These issues should not be confused with 3 additional magazines that appeared in the late 60s with the same title. Those are more of an 'Annual' or 'Yearbook' and have no direct connection to this series which continues with #9 dated 9/62 and do not figure into the numbering sysem used for all other issues. Beginning with the issue of 9/62 the title reverts to it's original form and drops the 'Festival'.

At this point a word about the numbering system is in order. The original 17 digest-size issues are numbered 1 thru 17 and although most issues claim to have a bimonthly publication schedule no months are ever indicated - the only dates appearing are the year of copyright in the publication information. There was also no attempt to use the common Volume, Number system on these issues.

The 8 issues titled Fling Festival begin a second and completely distinct run from the digest size issues. This is explained inside issue #9, dated 9/62 as is the name change. Notice that this begins the practice of keeping a whole number count of how many issues were published. This proves invaluable when confronted with the many random and unexplained breaks in publication over the years. The next issue, dated Winter, 1962 is #10 and then 3 issues on the bimonthly plan - Jan, Mar & May, 1963. This is followed by a long break until #14, dated 12/63 appears. Number 15 is dated 3/64, #16 is 8/64 and #17 is 12/64.

Please note that in addition to the whole number count mentioned above, this second run of Fling also incorporated the Volume, Number system. Since 1957 was the year publication began there were 6 years from 1957 - 1962. Although none of those books use the system it was adopted at the beginning of 1963 (the 7th year of publication) and issue #11 dated 1/63 is also V7 #1. Since the magazine claimed a bimonthly schedule there were to be 6 issues per year and volume. This system is maintained throughtout the magazines' history until at least the mid 90s.

Following that system, the 4 issues from 1963 and the first 2 from 1964 comprise volume 7 #1 thru #6. That means 12/64 is v8 #1 and the next 5 issues - the even months of 1965 from Feb. to Oct. are v8 #2 thru #6 and also whole number issues #17 thru 22. After a 5 month break #23 (v9 #1) and dated 3/66 hits the stands. That is followed by an unbroken run of 6 issues/year on the odd months until 3/73 (v16 #1, issue number 65). Although 1973 nearly follows the plan, there is no issue dated 7/73 - to keep things in order an issue was released in Dec. resulting in a monthly schedule for the 3 months Nov, Dec & Jan '74. Still on track, v17 #1 is dated 3/74 and things run smoothly until v19 #1 (issue #83) dated 3/76.

Although still on a bimonthly schedule of odd months the issues of 5/76 & 11/76 are skipped. So volume 19 runs from 3/76 - 5/77 and includes issues 83-88. From v20 #1 (7/77) to v22 #6 (#106) dated 5/80 there are no anomalies. That sets the stage for the biggest error of all. For some reason there is no v23 #1! That would have been the issue of 7/80 however 7/80 is actually v23 #2. The error was not corrected and results in V23 #6 being 3/81. There are only 5 issues in volume 23 and they are issues #107-111. Continuing on, v24 #1 (#112) is dated 5/82 with the next 15 issues following the odd months until v26 #3 (#126) and dated 9/83.

An irregular schedule has v26 #4 dated 12/83, #5 dated 1/84 and #6 as 4/84 (#129). The horror show continues thru v27 with the 6 issues being dated 7/84, 5/85, 9/85, 11/85, 1/86 and 3/86. There is also an error in the numbering system with the issue of 9/85 misnumbered as v27 #1, instead of #3. Unlike the previous error this was caught and corrected and 11/85 is #4.

From here v28 #1 dated 5/86 (#136) sees the next 4 years in order on the odd months thru v31 #6 dated 3/90 (#159). There is no issue for 5/90 and v32 #1 (#160) is dated 7/90. Nor is there an issue for 9/90 and starting with 11/90 the next 5 issues run thu 7/91 (#166). The missing issue of 9/90 most likely explains the only glitch in the numbering sequence as presented. V31 #6 is issue #159 dated 3/90, v32 #1 is issue #160 dated 7/90. There is no issue for 9/90 but apprently it was included in the whole number count as v32 #4 dated 3/91 is issue #164 instead of #163 as it should be. This means that v32 contains 7 whole numbers (#160 - 166) and 1 of them - probably #161 for the missing issue of 9/90 - was skipped. Continuing without a mistake, the next 14 issues take us to v35 #2 (#180) dated 11/83.

After a long break and a change in title to FLING INTERNATIONAL we finally see issue #181 (and denoted by an unexplained v36 #4) dated Spring, 1995 and an apparent quarterly publication schedule. Then #182 (V37 #1) and dated Summer, 1995 and another obviously misnumbered issue 184 (v37 #4) and dated Winter, 1995.

In addition to the regular issues of this title a number of special issues were also published. The first of these are the 3 issues titled 'Fling Festival' mentioned earlier. The first of these 3 was dated Winter, 1967, the second was Winter, 1968 and the 3rd is subtitled '1970 Annual'. Again, these 3 issues are not included in either the Volume, Number or whole number count of issues published.

No other special issues appeared until 1980. That year saw the beginning of a new series of special issues that are confusing due to the various subtitles used on each issue. Regardless of what those subtitles may be, the fact is that all of them belong to the same run and that the frequency of publication increased as time went by. The first special issue from 1980 was titled 'Fling Favorites', followed by #2 (dated 1981) titled 'Every Inch a Lady' and featuring Titanic Tina. The complete run of specials contains numerous issues with the same subtitles - examples include 'Fling Favorites' (#1, 4, 7, 14), 'D-Cup Contest' (#3, 6, 9, 12), 'Fling's 40' (#10, 13, 19). Many of these will say 'Collector's Edition', 'Special' or something similar on the cover but in the publication credts they are normally referred to as 'Fling Bonus Edition' followed by the number of the issue in question. There were at least 29 of these specials published thru 1993 and perhaps a few more I haven't seen.

The brief run of Fling International also apparently produced at least a couple of special issues including one numbered #2 and titled 'Boob Tube Busters' and dated 1996.